Bahrain Applies For Extradition Of Hakeem al-Alraibi

AAP

Bahrain has applied to extradite Melbourne-based refugee Hakeem al-Araibi from a Thai prison, but former Socceroo Craig Foster is optimistic he can be returned home.

The footballer has been held in Thailand since arriving in Bangkok on his honeymoon on November 27, due to a wrongly-issued Interpol red notice.

Foster, who has galvanised support for al-Araibi around the world, met with soccer's governing body FIFA and World Players' Association head Brendan Schwab in Zurich on Monday to push them to help his case.

Al-Araibi, who plays soccer for semi-professional Pascoe Vale in the Victorian league, was jailed in absentia in his native Bahrain for 10 years for vandalising a police station during the Arab Spring in 2012.

The 25-year-old was jailed despite submitting evidence he was playing soccer at the time.

Bahrain's Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa defended his country's pursuit of al-Araibi, saying he had taken part in a "terrorist operation" involving an arson attack and "possession of inflammable bombs".

"Those who speak now of al-Araibi having been mistreated and those who question the integrity of Bahrain's courts ignore the fact that al-Araibi was released on bail."

The minister said al-Araibi was allowed to accompany the Bahraini football team to play in Qatar and from there he fled to Iran.\

He said al-Araibi could challenge the proceedings in the Court of Appeals and then Bahrain's highest court.

"Those raising unfounded doubts about the integrity and independence of the Kingdom's judicial system are not only interfering, but also attempting to influence the course of justice," Al Khalifa said.

Interpol's bureau in Australia notified Thai authorities that al-Araibi was arriving in Thailand, sparking strong criticism of Australia's role in allowing Bahrain to issue a red notice for someone deemed a refugee.

It's understood there are competing views within the Home Affairs portfolio over where the blame lands for al-Araibi's detention.

"The Interpol red notice was not put in place by Australia; the existence of the Interpol red notice would have come to the attention of Thai authorities when the person attempted to enter Thailand," a Home Affairs spokesperson told AAP.

Al-Araibi said he was tortured in Bahrain for criticising a relative of the royal family. He fled to Australia in 2014.